Brett Lee unaware signed bat would be used in asylum seeker negotiations with India, manager says

Brett Lee's manager says the cricketer did not know the signed bats were bound for India.

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Former Australian cricketer Brett Lee was unaware that bats signed for the Immigration Minister would be given to Indian officials involved in asylum seeker negotiations, the sportsman's manager says.

Lee and fellow retired bowler Glenn McGrath signed cricket bats which, according to reports in News Corporation newspapers, were used by Scott Morrison as a "secret weapon" in negotiating an asylum seeker deal with India.

He says unlike some other athletes Lee has decided not to charge for signing bats.

Lee defended his signing of the bats on Twitter.

"Just for the record, I sign thousands of things every year. 99.9% of them are used for charitable purposes," Lee tweeted.

"I am a strong supporter of human rights and for me to be positioned as otherwise because I signed a cricket bat is totally wrong."

McGrath also defended his decision to sign the bats for Mr Morrison on Twitter, saying he supported asylum seekers and always tried to "help people out".

A spokesman for Mr Morrison said: "The minister was advised that Mr McGrath and Mr Lee had provided the signed bats for them to be used as official gifts from the Australian Government.

"Provision of such gifts is standard practice for these meetings. Mr Lee and Mr McGrath's assistance in providing the bats does not represent any statement of political support or endorsement of Government policy."

News that the cricketers had donated the bats sparked vitriolic criticism of them on Twitter.

Mr Morrison's spokesman described the attacks as "cowardly and inappropriate".

"The minister deeply regrets that both Mr Lee, Mr McGrath and their families have been subjected to these cowardly attacks and apologises that their assistance provided in good faith has exposed them to such unwarranted and disrespectful treatment," he said.

"Mr McGrath and Mr Lee are both great Australians of impeccable standing in our community and deserve all of our respect."